The 73rd Annual Hunger Games
by clove7031
Summary: Melody is reaped to play the 73rd Annual Hunger Games. Allies, enemies, and family change this girl dramatically. Okay, the actual story is MUCH better than the summary...so yea...ENJOY!
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Sunlight streams in through the shutters, lighting up the whole house. I hear the birds singing their songs, and everything seems peaceful, but not for long. I suddenly remember why I am in my bed, sleeping soundly, instead of working in the fields today. Today is the day of the reaping. It is my first year, and Leyna's last, while Robert is too young to be entered in this horrible world. My name is only in once, but Leyna's name is in forty-two times. Leyna won't let me take tesserae, but she takes it for our family of five. I look to the clock to attempt to stop the negative thoughts streaming through my mind. It is ten. The reaping is at twelve, because our district's tributes' journey to the Capitol takes exactly twenty-four hours. That means I only have two hours to get ready, and get through my weekly job, collecting food for the Widow.

I roll out of bed, letting Leyna sleep in. she shouldn't have to worry about the reaping. She should sleep, as long as she can. I take the light quilt we have and slip it on Leyna's shoulders, letting her long blond hair get tucked under the blanket. Leyna looks just like our mother, with pale skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. I look completely different from the two, having brown hair, faintly tan skin, and green eyes, just like my father. Robert looks exactly like Leyna, but in a three year old version.

I get up and look around, seeing that everyone except for me is in a deep state of slumber. I go over to the worn down shelf we have, and take my clothes. I pull on a sky blue tank top, black pants, and I am zipping up my short, worn out boots when someone taps my shoulder. I spin around, seeing the silly grin on Leyna's face. She just loves to frighten me. "Melody, you should really be more careful while leaving. At least leave me a note." She says, her eyes scolding me. She pokes me in the stomach, and I poke her back, making her giggle. "Can I continue getting ready, your majesty?" I say, bowing slightly. Leyna gives a slight nod of her head as she walks away to straighten our bed.

I get the toy wagon sitting next to the door, and I am slipping on my light jacket when Leyna says, "Melody, breakfast is in an hour." I nod and slip out the door, happy to be outside in my free time, and not having to work in the fields surrounding our district. Many of the people in the Resident's Row, or the poorer part of District Eleven, are still sleeping. The houses here look just like our house, all of them being small houses. They all are made out of wood, and almost all of them are poorly constructed. The roofs of the houses are made of tightly woven grass, with wood supporting the grass covering. When it rains, which is always plentiful during this season, we have to put a plastic covering over the roof. Still, many houses are completely destroyed by the rain at the end of this rainy season. When Capitol citizens come to film our district, they almost always avoid filming the Resident's Row. Wouldn't want a Capitol citizen to realize just how greedy they are. The Capitol citizens always film the Victor's Village and the Township, where all the peacekeepers and merchants of our district live. All of the houses in the Township have relatively nice insides, with beds, tables, and sofas, which are a luxury in comparison to our house. We have thin mattresses with a worn quilt as beds, wooden boards as tables, and chairs as sofas. Everything about our houses makes people in the Township shudder.

I continue on with my journey to the Patch, past the area of District Eleven where we work during harvest. I stop at the bicycle station to grab my assigned bike. Here, we get assigned bikes if our fields are far away, more athletic people getting fields further back in the district. My field is next to the Patch, the field that we use to get food, which is right next to the fence. We can only take enough to fit in our bicycle baskets, so I find ways to get more food in. Right next to the field is a lake, where we go to swim and fish in our free time, which is often only two or three hours daily during harvest. The Hunger Games and the Victory Tour are both during harvest, so only some people can attend both. As I cycle to the Patch today, I see the backup workers, who usually are merchants, watering the fields today. Their children gather food that is ripe, and put it in the train car used to transport food to the Capitol. These backup workers will come back in time for the reaping, the only time where the whole district gets a day off. Or most of the district. The merchants deserve being backup workers, which always makes the people in the Resident's Row chuckle.

When I reach the Patch, I see that dandelions have started to grow along the edge of the border, so I pick some. I then gather apples and strawberries. Soon enough, I come across the lake and I fish, getting a dozen fish in return for my patience. I put everything in my basket, and I see that I only have enough space for some berries and roots, so I gather some and hide them, making sure the basket is leveled. The peacekeeper at the bicycle station should be able to slide their hand over the basket and not feel anything poking out. If they do feel something, then the person gathering food is suspected of stealing food, which results in five lashes in public. I shudder, remembering the first time I saw a boy getting lashed for that very reason. I think the peacekeeper called him Solaris. When you get lashed, the peacekeeper whipping you publically announces the name of the "committer of treason" for everyone to hear. The peacekeepers have successfully attempted to do their duty – keeping fear alive in the hearts of the citizens of our district. They make everyone suffer, while they get the few luxuries that are available here.

I get back to the station, and the peacekeeper slides her hand over my basket. Suddenly, she stops. Everything has to be perfect. It just has to be perfect. I can't risk imperfection. "Honey, you have something poking out." She says. The words send a shudder down my spine. "But, since today is the day of the reaping, I'll let you go. _No one_, not even your family, needs to know. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor." She says this last part with what looks a lot like a sympathetic smile. I can't believe it. She broke the rules, out of pity for me.

I continue my day, walking to the Township, where I see mothers standing outside with their children, who are dolled up for the occasion. Some mothers hang on tightly to their children, while others look around grimly, trying to bring up a nice subject to talk about. The Hunger Games. It is the only thing that makes everyone, poor and rich alike, feel the same. There is no one who is better today, no one who should feel superior.

I go around, making sure to stop at my trading areas. I give the baker half of my fish for 6 loaves of bread. The grocer takes some apples and gives me some salt and pepper. The butcher takes half the dandelions and gives me money. The head peacekeeper takes some roots and strawberries, but I get nothing in return. The citizens of our district always give things to the head peacekeeper without expecting anything in return, so that there is a glimmer of hope that he will forgive us. That really doesn't help anyone, though. He stays mean, just as he was taught.

I continue on my way to the Widow's house. When I reach the old, shabby, house, I see that the shutters of the house are closed. Since the Widow never leaves her house anymore, that only means one thing. She is watching television. She only watches one thing: the reaping for the 70th Hunger Games, three years ago. The games that Annie Cresta of District Four won. Well, she has to watch the current games too, because it is required by law, but she always watches these games. They are the only ones she has ties to. The Widow's husband died ten years ago, while he was loading food onto the train bound for the Capitol. She lost her daughter, eighteen at the time of her death, to the Hunger Games, three years ago. When she died, the Capitol gave the Widow a video containing all of the scenes in which her daughter was in, including the pre-arena days. The video also, unfortunately, contains the full scene of her daughter's death.

I tiptoe, not wanting to disturb the grieving woman, but my foot catches on a wooden plank, making the house sound of a squeak. I lay the contents on the table, and I am leaving when she gestures for me to come to her. I walk over, hesitant at first, and the second I get there, she embraces me. "Melody, I hope you aren't chosen. Don't be scared. It's only actually five minutes in which they reap the girl. "She says, her voice only a faint whisper. I look at the television screen, which now shows the District Eleven reaping. The girl is tall, and her blond hair sways in the wind. Her deep, blue eyes can tell you all the fear she felt. Suddenly, the scene changes to her training score. 4. Pretty low for an eighteen year old, but it is immediately known in the Capitol that this girl will not live to tell the tale of surviving the games. The scene changes again, and this time, the girl walks up the stage to be interviewed, and she wears a blue dress, one that matches her eyes. The last words you hear her utter in her interview are, "I will never, ever, give up." She died the fifth day of the games, being killed by a Career from District Two. He took a knife and shoved it right in the middle of her heart. She placed 10th, another death adding on to the long list of deaths since the first Hunger Games.

The Widow, at once after releasing me, opens the door and goes outside; she only does this once a year, only on the day of the reaping. She picks a flower, this time it being a pink rose. She places it gently in front of the picture of her daughter. Then, she tells me children should be getting ready, and then she closes the door, once again disappearing into her realm of grieving.

I head home and my fear of the reaping increases the closer I get towards home. I finally pull my wagon up the long road in the Resident's Row, when it is almost eleven thirty. Uh-oh! I still have to eat breakfast and get ready. I run with all my might towards home, since we live at the end of the long road.

When I get there, my parents and Leyna are ready to go, all of them dressed up in the finest clothes we have. We only have one pair of clothes to wear to the reaping, and Leyna bought me my dress for this year. We always buy the clothes in a large size, so we can wear it until we are too old for the reaping. My parents buy one pair of clothes every ten years. We don't gain a lot of weight since we barely have any food. My outfit this year is a fine pink dress, with pink flats that have a blue ribbon made into a bow on each. I tie my hair into a half-ponytail with a matching blue ribbon. I look at the old mirror leaning against the wall, or where it used to be. We sold it last year to get money to rebuild our house after the rainy season. It was an elegant mirror that was made before the creation of Panem, so it sold for a lot of money.

We eat our breakfast of tesserae bread, and we also drink milk, which I bought on my way back home. My mother has made the roots and dandelions into a soup, and she preserved the fruit for tonight. She kept the berries to make into jam, a rare delicacy, even without sugar. Robert tries to make everyone happy by telling us stories about his "job" helping our mom clean up. He gets a little reward, like getting to pick us up from school, if he helps clean up. He notices everyone is sad and quiets down, making his face into the glum face we all wear. He always copies us so he can fit in.

After breakfast, we head to the Justice Building to sign in, and I freeze when I see everyone in line for the reaping. I don't want to go. I want to go home. Leyna says it will be fine, and if I am chosen, she will volunteer. It makes me feel better. I go and sign in, and then I go to the line for the twelve year olds. Everyone wears grim expressions on their faces. I take a last look at Robert, who seems to be spending his time playing with his shirt. All of a sudden, Serena Inchcape, our escort comes out of the Justice Building, followed by the mayor, the mentors, and a couple peacekeepers. They start the reaping right away. While the mayor, a tall and skinny lady with black hair, blue eyes, and pale skin, reads the history of Panem, I look at Leyna. She has some determination in her eyes, and I try to copy her. Then, she announces the names of the past victors, we have had four, two male and two female. Then, comes the dreaded part. Serena walks up the stage and talks for a long time about how wonderful our district is, on and on. Then, she pulls the girls name. I scream. It's me.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

My head spins at the thought of my being a tribute, and my knees give way. I tumble to the ground, and I bury my face in my hands. No. it can't be true. I must be dreaming. But I know that it is not a dream as soon as the two peacekeepers come, grab my arms, and literally pick me up. I compose myself, but my knees still wobble as I make my way forward, up the steps of the stage. Leyna knows that any disruption during the reaping will only result in punishment for her. I take a deep breath, and force myself to look at the crowd. Some people, especially my former teachers and classmates, show a faint sense of recognition in their eyes. My friends, however, look at me, their eyes depicting pain and fear. My parents and Leyna look like they have had the air knocked from their lungs. My mother's face turns pale, and she clutches my father's hand like a lifeline. There are also others who don't know who I am, and then there are always those who are well past their years of caring, those who just care for themselves. Serena then continues asking for volunteers. Leyna pushes her way forward, screaming that she is ready to volunteer. Serena asks me if it is okay for her to take my place. I consider the advantages of letting her go. She would spare my life, and she might have a better chance of winning. Then, I consider the disadvantages. She could easily die, and I would never forgive myself for that. Also, she is of more use to our parents than me. She is wise, and she will help them make it through the tough times sure to follow. Me, on the other hand, I am just another mouth to feed. My only skill is collecting food, and anyone can do that. She is just too valuable to be killed off in the Games. I make my decision. "No, I will not accept any volunteers." I say, looking at Leyna, whose eyes are now filled with rage and disapproval. I can't let her risk her life for me.

The rest of the reaping goes by in a blur. The boy, who is unfortunately Solaris, makes his way up solemnly. He is quiet. The mayor reads the treaty. We shake hands. Then, we are directed into the Justice Building. The place for goodbyes. My heart stops at the thought of saying goodbye to my loved ones.

The Justice Building is old, and vines have started to climb up the windows and doors. Even though it looks old, on the inside, it's not that bad, though most of the items in the rooms have been there since the starting of the Games. The rooms for the tributes have the most luxurious furniture. I gasp as I see the room I am in. Even though it is very little in the eyes of the Capitol, it is the most luxurious room I have ever been in. The red walls match beautifully with the white carpeting. The red sofas in the center of the room each sit on both sides of a brown, polished table, and each sofa also has smaller tables on each side of the sofa. There is a marble fireplace, with a portrait of President Snow on top, and it also has two large windows on either side of it. Below each window sits a small but long bed. The fabric feels amazing, and I think it is called velvet. I would love to stay here, but I am suddenly reminded of the reason I am here. I will enjoy luxuries like this, but with a price. To my district, I am a symbol of shame, a child forced to bare the punishment of a risk this nation took, one that was too risky, which resulted in a failure and a punishment that will never be taken of the shoulders of this nation. I will fight to my ultimate death, and everyone will watch.

I don't know why, but I immediately connect my anger of the Games to President Snow. How can he live like this? Making twenty-three innocent children die yearly because of a crime committed close to one hundred years ago? Why would he do such a cruel thing? In a fit of anger, I pick up one of the glass doves on the side table of a sofa, and I hurl it at the portrait of President Snow, unhinging it, making the portrait fall into the flames below. I smile at this sight. Seeing the man who is responsible for my ultimate murder burning in the flames makes me feel better. A peacekeeper rushes in after hearing the crash. He sweeps up the glass, discards it, and then he presses a button on the side of the fireplace, and it opens to reveal a hidden cabinet. . Inside, about five other identical portraits sit. He takes one, hangs it, and then he walks out of the room after closing the hidden cabinet.

I feel ashamed, and I sit on one of the sofas, tuck my knees up to my chest. Then, the tears start to flow. How could I do something like this? Why did I think those horrible things? Why? I end up crying for everything, my life, my family, my friends, and just about everyone I know. Soon, Leyna, Robert, and my parents walk in, and they all wrap me in a hug. None of us are very smooth with words during emotional times… The peacekeepers break our hug to take my parents out, and they are taking Leyna too when she says, "Melody, be strong. You will come home, soon." Robert seems confused at why I am going away from home, and my mother tells him that I am going away for a while but will be back soon. He looks at me and gives me a little hug while he says, "I love you. Come home soon, so I can come pick you up from school!" He says it with a smile. I try to reply. "I...I love you too, Robert." I say, but they are already gone. Immediately, Rosie, my best friend, enters, and it looks like she has also been crying. She comes in, fixes my hair, and she is wiping my face with a cloth when she presses something into my hand. "Leyna wanted to give it to you, but she couldn't. It was too hard for her. This should be your district token." I unwrap the package to find a lovely beaded necklace inside. I know we couldn't afford something like this, so I figure she traded something valuable for it. Rosie fastens it around my neck, and I pull her into a hug. Then, we sit on the sofas and I tell her everything she should do to give my family support while I'm gone. Since she lives in the Township, she will provide food and money for my family. She will also continue my weekly rounds to the Widow's house. I am telling her about how to know whether or not to take my family into the town square to watch the Games when a peacekeeper escorts her out of the building. "Come to the elevator when you are ready," the peacekeeper says as he and Rosie disappear behind the door. I straighten my clothes and try to walk confidently to the elevator. As it heads down, I think of how the Widow's daughter would have handled the situation. She was strong and brave, and I will be like that too. I will not let the Games extinguish my courage.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

The train station is crowded, like all other train stations on reaping day. We push our way through the crowd and board the train. Just getting on the train knocks the air out of my lungs. The room in the Justice Building looks like nothing compared to this. Crystal chandeliers, an endless supply of food, and Capitol attendants everywhere. Two people are already sitting there, a young man with dark skin and a rough voice, and a tiny, pale girl with blond hair and blue eyes. She is the latest victor from our district, and she won ten years ago, when she was fifteen. "Make yourselves comfortable. Take a nice shower, change clothes, and then come for dinner at six. By the way, it is four." Serena says, clearly dismissing us.

I walk to my room and I find the bathroom. I take a shower, and since I only have about two weeks of luxury until I die, I take a long time. Better enjoy life while I can. When I get out, I step on a mat that instantly dries my body. I place my hand on a board, and jerk it back when I am shocked with something that makes my hair fall down in a glossy sheet that goes to my waist. I pull the first things I can find from the dressers, which are a gray skirt and a pink shirt. I keep my pink slippers on, and I add a brown hairband to my hair before I exit the room.

When I find my way into the living room, I see that the young man, who is called Chaff by the girl, is talking with Solaris. "You want some fresh air?" the girl asks. "Sure." I say, and I follow her to the back of the train. "My name is Eliza, and I will be your mentor. I obviously know your name is Melody." she says with a teasing look in her eyes. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. I look into the vast space behind me, and I see the lights of another district, which Eliza tells me is District Eight. Just looking at the district makes my hear feel heavy. Back home, Leyna and my parents will be getting ready for bed. How are they coping with all of this? They certainly have no hope, since I will be one of the weakest and youngest tributes. I will probably die in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia. "Melody?" Eliza asks, "Just so you know, you will not lose. I will help you win. I promise. Come on inside, you're shivering."

She takes me inside, and we go to the table, where Serena, Chaff, and Solaris are already seated. I sit silently until we are done eating. We then rise and go to another room to watch the recap of the reaping, and then Eliza and Chaff whip out two notebooks and hand them to us, along with pens. "Lesson number one: Meet the Tributes." Eliza says, "We want you two to write down possible allies, enemies, and those to be cautious near. Trust your instincts on choosing allies." We watch the reaping, and I see that Solaris scribbles a lot on his notepad, but I just write the district, gender, and whether they are and ally or enemy.

A couple tributes stay in my mind. A tall, strong girl from District One with and evil look in her eyes. Enemy. A small boy from Five, who is apparently sixteen, who runs up the stage, eager to be a tribute. Smart, very Smart. A skinny girl from Nine with blond hair and hazel eyes. Ally. A girl from Twelve with red hair and blue eyes, who stand out from the crowds of blonde and brown haired people. Ally. The anthem plays, and then I am left thinking about how big this year's tributes are. Nearly everyone is fifteen or older, and even if they are young, they are tall. "Well, I guess we know for certain now that I am dying in the arena. I'm the youngest, shortest, and probably the skinniest too." I surprise myself, as well as the others by saying this. "Don't try to say I won't. We all know I'm not coming home." With this, I turn and leave the room, and when I come to my room, I slip into a silky nightgown and crawl under the covers. It takes me a sometime to fall asleep, but I wake up two hours later. I try going back to sleep, but it just doesn't work. So, I rise from my bed and decide to go to the place where Eliza and I had our first talk. I am surprised to see Eliza awake in a room near the back of the train. I go in, and I see that she is hugging herself and she mutters something under her breath. "Eliza?" I ask, "Are you okay?" When she sees me, she stops muttering and she fixes herself. "Yeah. I'm doing fine. It's just that since I won the Games I have been having nightmares." I feel pity for her so I grab her by the arm and say, "Come on, let's go get you sleeping." I take her back to her room, and she changes before she lets me in. She slides in under the covers and I sit there, telling her stories about beautiful things, and eventually I fall asleep by her side.

I wake up the next morning, momentarily comforted by the stories I told Eliza before going to sleep. I look at the clock in the room, which says that it is seven in the morning. This is my usual waking time. Eliza sleeps peacefully, so I slip out of the room without waking her. When I reach my bathroom, I decide to change into a green and pink dress, and since it's starting to get chilly, I add a light jacket and pants under the dress. I slip on a pair of brown boots, and I finish the look by tying my hair into a ponytail with a light green ribbon. After changing, I stand in front of the mirror for some time, trying to picture what I would be doing at home. I would be rising there too, and I would have to immediately go to school or harvest, depending on the time of year. Today would be the last day of harvest back home. Home. Just thinking of the word brings a heaviness to my heart. What would my family be doing today? Leyna is probably devastated, and my parents too, but I just know Leyna would be more deeply affected by it. We had grown up together, our father always at work and our mother busy tending the house. We went to school together, sat together at lunch, and played together too. Just thinking of home makes me dizzy, so I clutch onto the counter in front of me. I am trying to keep my tears in when I hear her frail voice. "Melody? Are you okay?" I turn to the door to see Eliza standing there, leaning against the open door. I wipe my eyes and nod. I can't look frail and weak in the eyes of the Capitol. I walk out of the bathroom, fold my clothes, and place them on the bed.

When Eliza and I arrive in the dining cart, we find Solaris and Chaff eating breakfast and chuckling, just like they were old friends. Serena walks into the room just as we sit down at the table. Today her clothing consists of an ice blue dress, blue fur boots, a white fur scarf, and her hair is straightened and dyed icy blue, and it sits on her head in a high ponytail. "What's the occasion, Serena?" Eliza says, "It today 'become an icicle' day?" Serena shoots her a look, and replies in her Capitol accent, "You are very lucky I got sponsors for you in your games, or that wound the girl from District 2 gave you would have killed you." Her tone of voice is very cool. "Living through a throat injury, especially when your throat has been silted is hard! You and your Capitol people have no idea what it's like to be in the arena!" screams Eliza, but a sudden coughing fit makes her stop. She gulps down a glass of water, and the coughing stops. "Can we continue breakfast in peace?" I say. "I know you two are probably not the best of friends, but this is ridicioulus!"

That does enough, and we continue our breakfast in peace. I see fancy shops, homes, and cars outside, so I ask where we are. "Isn't it obvious? We are in District One, which means we have thirty minutes to get to the Capitol…" replies a still angry Serena, "Oh my! Thirty minutes! I must go touch up my makeup! All this arguing is ruining my complexion; I just dyed my skin pale this morning!" She gets up and leaves, taking a Capitol assistant with her. "Eat, Melody. That is Games mentoring lesson number two: Fuel up! You are going to lose a lot of weight in the arena." Eliza whispers. "Did the wound make your voice frail like it is now?" I ask, and I am answered with a nod. "You 'poor' little things, can you quiet down for lesson number three: let the Capitol do anything to you, and you will not complain. Understand?" says Chaff. Solaris and I nod in approval. Solaris holds a finger up to his mouth as a joke, and we all chuckle. Then, the Capitol attendants gesture for us to eat, and eat we do. The table is lined with exotic foods, and the foods I have chosen would seem like a delicacy at home. Boiled eggs are a rarity, and so is strawberry jam. The bread tastes much better than our tesserae bread at home, and orange juice is pretty common back home, but I have never tasted any that isn't sour from being moldy. After eating this I am full, but Eliza makes me drink a mug of a chocolaty drink she calls "hot cocoa", and eat some rolls with it.

After breakfast, we sit on the couches in another cart as Eliza and Chaff brief us on what will happen in the Capitol. We will be waxed, washed, clothed, and remade, and then we will eat lunch before the Tribute Parade, which is at five. Then, we will be transported to our new home for the last few weeks of our lives. After that, training. Then, interviews, followed by the Games. I will probably die first…. I wonder if my family will get a tape like the Widow did….. I suddenly hear cheering and shouts of joy. I look out the window to see the colorful people outside, and I feel sick. We are here. At the place of my ultimate death. We have arrived at the Capitol.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

The Capitol train station is crowded with people, cheering, looking, and being amazed by the tributes' arrival. I look around, and see that the District Three train is here as well. I look at the girl, a tall, skinny girl with strikingly purple hair, or is it pink? Her hair is short, falling just below her ears, and wild, with long bangs in front. The boy is much simpler in comparison. He is short, skinny, and he has straight hair that is combed back in a professional manner. They both have eyes that are green, and they both have pale skin, which makes me think that this is normal in District 3. I see all of this while we sit in the front of the train car, which is now pulling to a stop. Eliza gestures for us to rise, and we do, just in time to see the majestic doors of the train slide open to the roaring crowd in front of us. We walk out, and I hear people yelling our names, which they have bothered to look up from the reapings. The tributes from Three are sitting in their car, and we have a long way to walk before we get there. I could sprint the distance, only a few yards away, but in this condition, it takes five minutes to get to our car. We slide in, and shut the doors, saving us from all of this sudden publicity. Surely they would not have bothered to make us so famous had we not been reaped. They only pay attention to the reaped tributes, and other than that, no one has any connections with the Capitol except the Career Districts.

Four hours later, I lie on the bed that my prep team has made me lay on. My whole body is sore, and I am just starting to enjoy this brief break when my prep team comes back in the room. Saffra, a short and plump Capitol woman, tells me that my stylist is running a bit late. Her clothes are cheetah printed, and her skin is dyed a horrible shade of bright yellow. Her hair is dyed in an assortment of colors, red from the top, and purple at the bottom. Another woman, who Saffra calls Valaria, is simpler in everything. Her skin is dyed an off-white color, and her hair is long and dyed a shade of dark blue, that almost resembles black. Her clothing consists a black shirt with a white vest, and she finishes off the look with a purple and black skirt that falls to her ankles. The only really Capitol thing about her is her makeup. She has neon colored makeup all over her face, and she also has a huge pink flower clip in her hair, which is supposed to keep her bangs from falling on her, but the clip is not working, apparently. A third person, who is called Leonis, is debating over whether the layers in my hair now make me look better or not. I think he agrees that the layers look better, because he says, "Now, I think we are done with her. I need to run, Saffra and Valaria, I actually scored an invitation to Canwarn Wishart's Hunger Games party!" This comment really makes Saffra and Valaria jealous, since they run out the door after Leonis, trying to get more information.

As soon as my prep team is gone, a lady walks in. "Hello, Melody. I am your stylist, Fannia. Why don't we eat, and then I can get started on your costume's alterations, since you are much smaller than the mannequin I was told was medium size." She puts a lot of emphasis on the word "medium", and I can tell that I am immediately despised by her. We walk into another room, which has nothing in it except for two sofas and a glass table in the middle. The room has three plain white walls, and the one in front of us is made of glass, so we can look outside at the world of the Capitol. "What will you eat, Melody?" Fannia asks me. I tell her that I don't know, and that anything will do. She gets upset by the fact that I don't know what type of foods are offered here. "Don't you study the Capitol in District 11?" she asks as she orders the course. When the food comes, I am surprised at what is available here. Pasta with a sauce of creamy white stuff with little chunks of vegetables. Oranges dipped in some type of orange jelly. Pieces of chicken dipped in a hot sauce. Bread not made of our tesserae rations back home, but made of white flour, which is shaped into twisted rolls. Cake with chocolate dipped strawberries on top. All of that is only a small portion of the various foods Fannia has heaped on her plate. I take a little bit of everything, and I finish the plate, even though my stomach gets full before halfway. I see Fannia, in her bright pink clothes and her light pink hair, only eat a little bit, and then she throws away the rest of the food. My eyes cannot believe what I have seen. How do these people live here, where there are no hardships? Where there is more than enough food, and where no innocent little kids die every day from malnutrition? Where no one needs a job, and where no one has to walk a long way just to get medicine or water? I tell myself to stop, thinking such negative thoughts about the Capitol really won't help at this stage, where I am one of the stars of the Hunger Games.

A couple hours later, at around five-thirty, I am dressed in an amazing costume. District 11 is Agriculture, and since Fannia thinks that I am little and innocent, she has made me into a flower. I am in a pink dress with green trims, and a pink belt at my waist begins a ruffled skirt that falls just above my knees. From the front it seems like it ends at my knees, but from the back, it falls down to my ankles like a cape. I am wearing green sandals that crawl up my legs like vines, and they go to my knees. My hair is loosely tied, with flowers and shells woven into my hair. Fannia says that I resemble a fairy, whatever that is. We go to the area where all stylists, tributes, mentors, and escorts are together in little groups. I instantly find Serena, who is standing with Solaris and his team. She embraces me instantly when I arrive, and Eliza smiles at me. Chaff also grins a little, and Fannia whispers that Chaff smiling is rare. My prep team runs to us, and they give Fannia something that looks like a crown. It has a beautiful pink gem in the middle. Fannia sets it on my head, and then Solaris and I take our places in the chariot. We get in just in time to hear the loud anthem of the Capitol, and the doors swing wide open. District 1 goes out, and they instantly get cheers. By time District 8's chariot is leaving, the excitement is less. When we go out, we get some cheers and I hear my name being shouted, I then look at the big screens showing us, and I realize just how beautiful I seem. Do people in the Capitol only judge others by their clothing choice? If so, then the poor tributes from District 12 are not liked in their baggy coal miner's suits. We reach the city center, where President Snow addresses us, and then we roll into the Training Center, which will be my final home, until my ultimate death in the arena. I wonder who will win, and my mind tells me it's probably going to be a Career, or the tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4, who have trained their whole lives to play in the Games.

As I get out of my chariot, I see the Careers staring at me. Eliza sees this and then instantly takes me out of the chariot stables, muttering about how that is not a good sign. "Does it mean they will kill me first?" I ask her. "No, the final decision is after your training scores and your interview. But until you go to the arena, steer clear from them." she replies. Then she is strangely silent on the way to the elevator. We are the first people to arrive in the elevator, and behind us are the District 12 and District 9 tributes, out of which I want the girls as allies. Eliza tells all of us, since the other tributes' mentors didn't come, that your floor is your district number. So the tributes from Nine get out first, and then we get off. I just stand there with my mouth open. "I know, so fancy. I can't get used to it myself. Here, you'll need some help with finding out how the technology works." With that, we make our way to my room, or the room labeled "MELODY DAWNBLOSSOM" with my picture flashing under it. They change it every year, since the never-ending pool of tributes grows each year.

My room is bigger than my whole house back home. It has its own bathroom and changing chamber, and there is a table like the one Fannia ordered lunch from next to the huge bed. Eliza goes to a glass panel on the other side of the bed. She tells me to put my hand on a glowing blue box on the panel. It scans my hand and then slides back, revealing a lot of clothes exactly my size and my favorite colors. Eliza says to put on anything, and that she will wait for me on the bed so she can take all the flowers and shells out of my hair. I pull on a pink shirt and light blue pants, but I add a short grey cardigan because I am feeling cold. Well, then again, District 11 is much warmer than the Capitol so we can grow food. It doesn't even snow at home. I then come out of the bathroom and sit on my bed, letting Eliza untangle the flowers and shells. I wonder what my family thinks of this now. My costume. My way of being friendly to the crowd to get sponsors. My hair. They will think that I am beautiful, but this beauty is temporary, especially in the Careers. In the arena, we are all killers.

"Hey, Melody, take this, and click the button in the middle." Leyna, no, Eliza says as she hands me the remote. I tap the big circle in the middle, and I see people in the streets of the Capitol. I tap it again on accident, and then a picture of District 1 shows up. I can tell because in the upper right hand corner of the screen, the seal of the district appears. The population is tiny, because District 1 is the smallest district in Panem. The streets are fully paved, and cars roll through the streets. There are shops made of brick, and there are gardens everywhere. The grass is green, which means that everyone gets plenty of water there. A house sits near the bottom of the screen, and it is about the size of the houses in the victor's village.

District 2 is exactly like District 1, the only difference being the dry, eroded, land and the construction equipment everywhere. There are fewer cars, since most people take the train that rolls through the district.

District 3 has no cars at all. The streets are made of brick so it is hard to tell how much water is available. Factories are everywhere, and the houses are smaller, but they are still five times larger than our house at home.

District 4 has paved streets as well, and there are palm trees dotting the land. The houses are bigger in District 4 than District 3, which surprises me. Much of the land is untouched, since they fish, but children use the land to play ball and other sports.

District 5 has cracked streets, and less people drive. There are about two power plants in the city, and the area is cloudy. The houses are not separate, but together. Their walls are joined. The power plants take up much of the area's land, and they are domed, making me think that rain is normal in the district.

District 6 had no cars at all. People walk everywhere, and they live in things Eliza calls "apartments", which look like the Training center, but they are made of brick and people stay there. There is a huge factory for making transportation near the west side of the city.

District 7 resembles home. The only big differences are that there are more trees, and that the people live in better conditions. But not too good. District 7 is beginning the decline of the districts. The people live in small, two room cabins spread out along the land.

District 8 looks exactly like District 3. There are no differences whatsoever, except for the fact that the factories make clothing.

District 9 is so much like home that it causes me to feel heartsick for a moment. The grain fields are arranged just like back home. The richer part of them live in one room houses made of brick, which is different, and the poorer people's dwellings circle around the "Township" of District 9. But the poor people live in wooden houses with one room, which are much better than the ones back home.

District 10 is different. There are large ranches spread out, with one big farmhouse made of wood for an extended family.

District 11 is the hardest to bear. Home. The low lying fields, the tiny homes, even if they collapse every rainy season, make me feel at home. That's when I see it. Our house. I zoom in on it, and see something. Four kids are outside: Leyna, me, Robert, and another boy, one who looks to be fifteen. He looks like me. His name slips out before I remember him: "Martin….NO!" I scream and run out of the room, even though Eliza is still untangling my hair. I run to the elevator and ride to the roof, where I grip the rails and cry. Eliza follows, asking me what is wrong. "That boy I zoomed in on: he was my brother." I say. "Was? Melody..." Eliza starts. "He is dead. Martin…he was found guilty of going home early during harvest, which was sentenced to a whipping, but Robert accidentally put night vision glasses in his bag. They killed him on the spot." I reply. Why did he die? It was not fair, and now I will die to, in the arena. Leyna and Robert will be the only ones of us four kids left. How do my parents bear this burden? It hits me then. They don't; they can't. Losing two children, one in the Games, one executed, is not a happy life. That's why my mother always looks at the fields with sadness, and my dad does the same. That's why: looking at that field reminds them of my brother, and now probably looking at the Justice Building reminds them of me. I continue to sob, and Eliza embraces me. "I understand..." she begins. Her eyes fill up with tears as well, but she holds them in. "Remember the 59th Games? My sister and brother both went in together that year…they were 15…District Two won those Games…" I look at her. "Which Games did you win?" I ask. My tears are all gone now. "63rd …I was 15…" I can't even imagine how her parents felt. Two children slaughtered one year, one wins the four years later. "Let's go back in, dinner is probably ready..."

When we arrive at the table, everyone is eating but us. We join them, and I notice Fannia has joined us. After dinner, I change into a purple nightgown and sit on the bed. The picture of Eleven is still open, and I try to tear myself away by looking at the Capitol again. I eventually give up and put the picture of my home up again, so I have a small memory of home. I lie down, but I realize that I will never sleep, not without comfort I won't. I use the music feature Eliza showed me in the train and fall asleep listening to a nice, soothing tune. My family's home is zoomed in on, and somehow, I feel at home, even here, far away from home.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

I wake up to the calm music playing around me. I turn it off and rise. I look at the clothes laid out in front of me, a black short sleeved to with red trims and a gray box with my district number, 11, on it. A matching pair of pants, the only difference being the presence of the gray box, and black boots. I go to the bathroom and get ready, and I tie my hair into a neat ponytail. I come out of the bathroom and make my bed, and put away my clothes from last night. I touch the necklace around my neck. It reminds me of my family. I see that it is a locket, which I hadn't noticed before. I open it and see two pictures: one of Leyna and Robert and me, and one of my parents. I smile and head out of the room. They are the ones giving me hope. I will win, or die trying, only so I can come home to them.

I come to the main area just in time to see Solaris coming out of his room. I smile at him and he says, "I promise I will protect you, just like you protected me." The memory comes back suddenly, and my brain gets it out of the dark corner, the part of my brain where all my darkest memories were stored.

It was the day he got whipped for me. I was the actual one who had the overflowing basket, but he told the peacekeepers that he told me to carry it for him, and that he had mine, since he was apparently allergic to the dandelions in the basket that his mom was supposed to make soup out of. He was bleeding heavily and he was about to lose consciousness, you could tell from the way he took his breaths. I immediately went through my bag and took out the patches of cloth I had gotten to fix my almost completely torn-up jacket. I used those to cover his wounds instead, and I got some people around me to give me the tracker jacker leaves we use. Our district had the most tracker jackers of all the districts. I had to chew them since there was no alternative. After applying them to the wound, I grabbed the black pieces of cloth and laid them out so they would completely cover his back. I then used the rest of my jacket to tie the cloth to him. I couldn't zip it on him since the only parts left were the sleeves and the hood. I asked some other kids around me to help me take him home. He lost consciousness just when we were outside his home in the Township. His parents hurried outside to help, and I told them what had happened, about how he sacrificed himself for me. His parents gave me a faint smile, and they told me to stay until my parents came. My parents were very proud of my healing skills, and my ability to help even with everyone watching. It was five years ago, but I am surprised I remember so much.

"Are you really allergic to dandelions?" I ask. He can't help but smile as he replies. "Actually, yes. They make my face get all puffy." I giggle and he pretends to frown. "Come on, breakfast is waiting." He says, guiding me to the table, even though I already know where it is. We eat while Eliza tells us about our schedule. We will train for about three hours daily, then we have lunch. Eliza advises me to go sit by everyone, even the Careers. I shudder, and Solaris pats me on the back and says, "I will come with you to the Careers, but we have to go separately otherwise." I smile. We should also hide our skills, mine being edibility and I guess I could learn to throw knives or fire a bow. We should go to each of the twenty-one training stations, seven per hour, but they last about ten minutes each. Also, we must make one minimum ally. Solaris grins and says he found one. I roll my eyes. "I think she meant other than the District 11 tributes." Serena is happy to see that we are enjoying ourselves, even though one or most likely both of us will be dead in a week. This makes my smile drop. Solaris, who is sitting next to me, tells me, "We both have something the Careers don't. You just need to keep your eyes open. When all of the people in the Capitol see just how tough you are, they will shower you with gifts." I listen, happy to hear this. "Yeah, that's what you need to know: the Capitol is watching to see you breakdown, to see you fail, in fact everyone is watching…be aware. Everybody here will be standing here to keep score." Eliza says.

When we head down to training, the elevator is empty. It's nine-thirty, and I guess no one is down there yet. "What's bothering you, Melody?" Solaris asks, his face full of pity. "I…I don't want it to come down to the two of us. Or if I die, I don't want you there. Same thing the other way. But you are so nice, so protecting, I am confused…" I reply. "About what?" he asks. "I want you to be in an alliance with me….but it won't last. You know what happens when there are only a few people left. I'm scared, Solaris. Everyone is so much older than me. Just look at you. You are so tall, and you're seventeen. I am twelve. Everyone is above fifteen this year, but me and the girl from Nine…but even she is fifteen…" I don't want to die. But what are my odds? I am only five foot one inch tall, and everyone is at least a head taller than me. I am the youngest, and the weakest. Solaris looks into my eyes and says, "I will help. I will submit a formal request for us being allies today, and I will play the Games alongside you." I look up. I smile. Solaris does too. I whisper a thank-you to him just as the big doors of the elevator slide open to reveal the training center.

The training center is a huge gym, with stations set up everywhere. There is a platform above use where the Gamemakers are supposed to sit, but I guess that they are not here yet. Well, we are not inside the training center, but we are sitting on the seats outside the glass doors. I see other metal doors that have been open. "Hmm…I wonder why the baby of the Games is looking so curiously. Well, I'll tell you why there are metal doors. These are dual doors, do you know what that means?" I whip around to see the girl tribute from District 1 standing there. The elevator doors open behind her to reveal the rest of the Careers, or the tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4. They all laugh, and the girls stare at me. The District 1 girl, who has her pale blond hair in a very high ponytail, looks at me and says, "Sapphire. District 1. Trust me, I am gonna kill you in the bloodbath." I shiver, and Solaris puts his hand on my shoulder. The girl from Two laughs and says, "You must be her babysitter." Her district counterpart, who calls her Delancy, tells her to stop scaring the baby. "She might just wet her pants" he says. They all laugh, and then the girl from Four speaks up. "I am Luna, and this," she gestures to her partner, "is Radius. And…" she stops to give an evil smile to the rest of the Career pack. "We are the Careers." finishes the boy from One. "So beware, because if you cross paths with us, it's not gonna be pretty." Says Radius. Solaris tells them to leave us alone, and it looks like Solaris and Radius are about to get into a fight, but the trainer, Atala, calms them down. "you'll all have_ plenty _of time to fight it out in the arena. Now, please take your seats. Training will begin once all tributes arrive."

We wait for all the other tributes to arrive, and I notice that one actually let the Capitol dye her hair! Or is it two people? I confirm my guess when I see the girl from Three come in with magenta hair, still in the pixie cut. The girl from Ten has dyed her hair dark pink, and she has yellow tips. I look at the Careers, who are now laughing at the poor girls. The girls go sit down quietly, not bothering to gain attention. Atala calls out our names. We are all here by ten, so we begin training. Solaris nods when I look at the archery station. I go and pick up a bow. Well, this will be fun, right?


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Training is harder than it seems. I head over to the various stations in my three hours. Archery. Needs a lot of improvement. Axes. Too heavy to carry. Camoflauge. Pretty good, but I could use some touch-up skills. Edible insects. I hate insects, so I will not eat them, but I go anyway. Better safe than sorry, especially in the arena. Edible plants. I try to act mediocre, like Eliza advised, but I pass the test in a breeze. Solaris gives me a look from the archery station that says to be more careful. Firemaking. Easier than it looked. Fishing. Okay, maybe I mess up the fish while getting it, but at least I have food. Hammock making. Awesome; all of those rainy seasons spent rebuilding the roof paid off. Knives. Something I can throw easily, lightweight, and accurate. I hit a couple bull's eyes, but purposely aim wrong the whole time. I finally found a weapon. Knots. Never have been my strong suit, never will, but I do have some improvement with the tips the nice trainer gave. Ropes course. My tiny size is a huge advantage, as well as my experience jumping from tree to tree back home. Shelters. Once again, if I can rebuild my house in District 11, I can make and find shelter. Slingshots. Very good. Backup weapon in arena. Snares. I don't know how I got at the end of one I was building. The Careers had a nice laugh at seeing me dangling upside down, and so did the other tributes, all but Solaris. Spears. The Widow's daughter died from these things, and I see her dying every time I send one spear flying towards the target. Too much emotional trauma. Swords. Maybe a lesson in swinging one without getting a cut would be nice. The Gauntlet, or a climbing course. If I can jump from tree to tree in the orchards, I can do this. I purposely climb on a few weak branches to fall. Tridents. Not my strong suit. Once again too heavy. I picked one up and struggled to carry it, which ended in my trident jammed in the floor, and the center closed for twenty minutes. Seconds count when you are learning about how to save your life. Weight lifting. I can carry about twenty pounds okay, but anymore and I fall. Wrestling. My back aches at the end of training by getting thrown on the ground so much.

I look forward to eating and meeting possible allies. The tributes are sitting at twelve tables, one for each district. I look at the food I have, which is bread, a frothy pink soup, some vegetables dipped in a red sauce, little chicken pieces, and a glass of water. I take my tray over to the District 12 table, where a red-headed girl and her blonde partner sit, not talking at all. "Can I sit here?" I ask. They nod, much to my surprise. "My name is Melody. What are your names?" I say. The girl says that her name is Claire, and they boy is named Rick. I talk to them about what I like and my life at home, steering away from the topic of the Games. "Umm…so, since we sort of know each other, are you interested in an alliance?" The boy refuses immidiatley, saying that he wants to be alone. The girl looks at me and thinks about it for a moment before saying, "Yes….I will submit a request immideately." She replies. I think to not use that reply again.

Most of the tributes ignore what I say, except for a few, including the girl from Twelve, a girl from Five, Solaris, a girl from Eight, both from Nine, a boy from Three, and both from Six. I feel accomplished and head to the big table, which the Careers have made by joining their tables. "Oh my…the little baby wants to ally with us? Not common for your district, since almost no one lives past the first three days…bet you won't either." Sapphire scares me with her tone. Delancy interrupts, saying, " I wonder how the little baby will cry when we rip every single limb off you…can't wait to see that!" she says. Radius says, "Now get lost baby, or we will be sure to end you….we are anyway, right?" all of them laugh and leave when the whistle signaling the end of training blows. "Hey, it's okay. Is this a tactic your mentor recommended? Mine said that I should charm everyone with my knowledge." I whip around to see the girl from Nine, who has her hand on my shoulder. I smile. "Annabelle. District 9. 15 years old. Melody's ally." She smiles, and so do the other eight tributes who said they would ally with me.

I have a surprise back on the District 11 floor. Eliza and Chaff are waiting with jumpsuits in their hands. "How was training?" Eliza asks. "Fine." I say. "We will be learning swimming today. They don't teach you this, do they?" Chaff says, his voice making him sound drunk. "where will we learn; the is no pool in the training center." Solaris asks. "You'll be surprised." We head to the room next to Eliza's, to find that Eliza ordered a pool be built for her since she "loves" swimming…

I go ahead and change into the blue jumpsuits, and I re-braid my hair since it got all messy during training. The pool takes up a whole room, and I jump in with pleasure, showing Eliza all I know while Solaris practices kicking. Chaff will help us after the swimming part. I show Eliza how long I can hold my breath underwater, and she tells me that I could use some balance while floating, but everything else is fine, so I spend my time floating around. Solaris has never swam before, so Eliza mainly works with him, while I do laps around the pool for the rest of the hour I have in swimming class with Eliza. I love it, and I am sad to leave the pool, but can't wait to come back tomorrow. Chaff tells us to change out of our jumpsuits and go change back into our training clothes. He has us run and works with us on our strength, which Solaris does easily. I can run pretty fast, but push-ups take all my strength out. We work on everything, until I fall to the floor for about the one-hundredth time in the hour we use to work with Chaff. I am relieved to leave this training, unlike Solaris. Eliza tells us that we have one more thing to do before we are let off from training and allowed to rest: strategy. She tells us to go and change into anything from our dressers in our rooms and bring the jumpsuits and the training uniforms to the Avox who will take them to wash for tomorrow. I change into a green shirt and a pair of loose black pants. I untie my hair, letting it fall around me in a now wavy sheet. I put a green and black hairband into my hair and come downstairs. Solaris, who is wearing a red sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, sits with Chaff and Eliza. "Finally, how long to girls take in the bathroom?" Chaff says while he rolls his eyes. Eliza tells us that this will be our daily strategy session. Chaff starts off telling us about who requested us for allies. Solaris had me, the boy from Twelve, the girl from Three, and most surprisingly, the boy from Four request him as an ally. Eliza then tells me how many requests I have. All nine of the people who said that they would ally with me submitted a request. I smile as I hear Eliza read the list of my allies. Chaff then gets us into what to do. "Okay, first things first: make a table with your allies tomorrow and make a plan regarding how to get supplies from the Cornucopia, weapons, anything necessary for survival. Do that tomorrow and then we can move from there." Chaff says, clearly dismissing himself. Eliza tells us the rest. "You two need to have an angle to play here in the Capitol to get sponsors. Melody, we want you to use what you are already doing: being the humble little twelve year old from District 11, who thinks she can win, but not by using weapons or anything. You believe you can win by using all of the knowledge the kind people and peacekeepers back home taught you. You also think that your being the shortest and tiniest tribute will help you win." She then says that I am doing perfectly so far. "Solaris, you need to be the boy from our district who cares so much about Melody that you will defend her, even if you need to kill yourself, which I see is true. You are also going to be a mysterious boy who no one knows about when it comes to your survival tactics, but they only know that you will protect Melody, unless she dies or is separated." Eliza says the last part with a look of sadness. I look at Solaris, who tells me to not worry, that I have nine allies to protect me. Eliza asks if we have any friend who has died in the Games. We will use it to our advantage and tell the Capitol that we are "avenging" their deaths. I tell her about the Widow's daughter, and Eliza tells me what her name was. Azalea. She was named for the beautiful pink flower I used to collect with Leyna before Robert was born. We used to give them to everyone, and the Widow asked me to collect some for her after Azalea's death. I feel a tear slide down my cheek as Eliza tells us that we are done training today.

I spend the next half hour in bed, thinking of Azalea. A memory comes in that I did not expect. It was about eight years ago, when Azalea was eleven, Leyna was ten, and I was four. We were playing in the Patch, in the pool, and Azalea was collecting flowers. Leyna and I asked her why she didn't come in and swim with us; it was around ninety-five degrees outside. Back home, we learn temperature detection when we are five, but it is considered perfect enough to use in the fields when we are ten. Azalea told us that she was going home to her father's death anniversary. We got out of the pool, and since we had not known that the nice man who gave us rag dolls was dead, we hugged her. Azalea cried on our shoulders, and then she left, without telling us her name. We use rag dolls, filled with hay inside, to play with back home. Azalea always came to us after school to give us some other dolls weekly. I still remember asking her why she gave them to us, and she replied oddly. She said this: "I'm getting a little bit old to play with dolls now, and they remind me too much of daddy. He used to make them and give them to all of the little girls everywhere, and I want that to keep happening." We asked her mom, just called Ms. Heather at the time, if her daughter had any dolls for herself. We called her "A" since she neatly sewed her initial onto the fabric on the bottom part of the doll's shoe. She never told anyone her name. It was always "The A"…..she sewed all the little girls dolls, one per girl weekly, until she was reaped. I remember Leyna and I were called for to say goodbye. In District 11, the tribute can choose five people to say goodbye to. I remember Leyna and I took the doll we thought looked just like her mom with us. We walked into the Justice Building crying. It was Leyna's fourth reaping, and I was eight, too little to understand why we had to die, but old enough to know that one girl and one boy went away yearly to the Capitol, and mostly they were killed. We entered the room Azalea was in and we saw a few tears in her eyes. That's my weakness, or it was: if I ever saw someone crying, I would start crying too. I remember giving Azalea the doll and then just sitting on her lap and crying. Leyna told her that we loved her, and that we would continue giving dolls to everyone. Azalea smiled at that, and she also smiled when we told her that the dolls would be her token and that her name was Hazel, after her mom.

The Capitol gave the doll back to the now called Widow after Azalea's death. She keeps it on a shelf next to Azalea's baby shoes.

Leyna and I tried to keep the doll tradition going, but materials suddenly became too expensive. Usually after the inflation, girls got a doll maybe once a year. It stopped once I turned ten though, because then work in the fields took too much out of us.

Azalea is dead because of the Games. Soon I will be too. Solaris and I, whether we like it or not, must kill each other….either one or both of us will die…my life will be snatched away from me in such an early age. I turn thirteen in the February after these Games. I will die. But I don't want to. I want to live. To see Leyna, Robert, and my parents again. To sit at school. Even starving in District 11 would be better than dying in these cruel Games. But if I was home, someone else would have to die. I can't afford to think like this…..do I actually want another innocent girl to die because I don't want to? I wonder why I am thinking this way….and how I will think in the Games. If I can be happy thinking of a life where another girl dies to take my place, then what type of monster will I be in the Games?


End file.
